"'Caze, son, he jes' fatnin' dem flies ter kill 'em off like yo' ma do chickins. Whin de flies 'gun ter git fat, he spin er teenchy, lit'le web, an' whin dey git kotch'd, he run an' make like he tryin' ter onhitch 'em, but he tie 'em up wusser, an' sting 'em tell dey dies. Den he take 'em ter one dem houses an' sto' 'em erway." "Did he kill all of Mister Blue Bottle's family?" asked Mary Van. "Dey wusn't er one uv 'em lef', honey, not eb'n Miss Blue Bot'le's baby gal, an' nobody dunno de money Grab-All make on de fly trade dat winter nuth'r." "Mammy Phyllis, are all spiders kin to Grab-All?" "Dey's all kin, but dey ain't all got de same name, 'caze yer see all uv 'em ain't got de same slicknes' ter git way wid fokes like Grab-All do," she explained. "Did Mister Grab-All give the other spiders some of Mister Blue Bottle's children to eat?" asked Mary Van, by way of suggestive generosity. "Nor, suh, Grab-All say he ain' got no pockit book kin--he say he need all he got, an' mo' b'sides." Then she added: "But dey doan need Grab-All ter give 'em nuthin' 'caze none uv 'em wus po'--all uv 'em got nuf spid'r web in 'em ter swing erlong 'dout trackin' up der biznes'." She reached out to steady the hammock as Willis scrambled out. "Mammy," he exclaimed, "Captain Yellow Jacket and Captain Hornet didn't get a thing." "Nor, suh," said Phyllis, lifting Mary Van to the ground, "an' nobody nev'r do git nuthin' dat keeps der senses in der fistes 'stid er der haids--Ketch Ma'y Van by de uth'r han' an' come on." XIV MISTER RATTLESNAKE "Whut yer givin' dat boy, Zeek?--I boun' hit 'tain' nuthin' fur no good." Phyllis started for the garden gate, where a suspicious conference was going on between Willis and the gardener. "Howcum yer can't op'n yer haid whin fokes speaks ter yer?" Seeing his unwillingness to reply, she threw her apron partly over her head and quickened her pace. "Me an' de lit'le man wus jes' fixin' ter make yer 'quainted wid er present I fotch him fum ov'r t'oth'r side de creek," explained Zeek. "Whar de present?" she interrupted with annoyance, as she perceived he was trying to tease her. She took the little boy by the hand and started for the house. "Wait, Mammy," he begged, pulling back; "Unk Zeek, please gimme the snakes." "Give you whut, in de name er de Lawd!" exclaimed Phyllis. "Jes' two lit'le gyarters I kotch an' put in er bottle fur de chile," Zeek explained again. "Yas," returned Phyllis angrily, "you kotch dem snakes fur nuthin' but ter tu'n 'em loose 'bout my foots, soon es you gits me in er tight place--I knows yer. Yer orter be 'shame er yo'se'f,--an' callin' yo'se'f er deac'n, too!" Zeek threw his head back and gave a roaring laugh. "Whew!" he finished, "Sis' Phyllis, you is de slickes' 'ooman I ev'r seed. How yer know I gwine tu'n dem gyrters loose on yer?" and Zeek laughed again until he held to the gate for support. Phyllis turned without deigning a reply.